There is no greater case for the need for a Tier 5 than if you look at this graph. To a person happily employed right now - it means to them perhaps it is okay to go ahead and shut off the funding for the longest-term unemployed. To a person who is unemployed, it underscores the fact that if you were laid off in 2008 - you are just now having the opportunity to truly compete for jobs. Both sides agree that this graph is good news but the graph speaks for itself about the jobs that just did not exist during 2008 and 2009.
Sure, the longest-term unemployed were applying their hearts out. But during 2008 and 2009 the country was losing jobs. How can anyone say that all of the longest-term unemployed are not doing their best is absurd. There can be no change in the number of those who are unemployed until jobs are created. When there are this many millions out of work - 162,000 jobs in one month is a great start but there are not enough jobs for everyone.
Why shut off the lifeline that so many thousands need until the jobs that the country lost get created again? The numbers do not add up. To be totally fair about the situation: If you were laid off in the year 2008, just recently have you had a true opportunity to apply for a job and get serious consideration. There was massive job loss in 2008 and 2009. Your only opportunity was to take the position of someone else who quit their job.
If you are eligible to receive unemployment benefits - you know that you cannot even receive the benefit unless your state verifies that you were laid off. The unemployed did not quit their jobs - they were laid off. Unemployed through no fault of their own. If there is anyone out there who is a 99er wishing that you had done more in 2008 and 2009 - look at the number of job losses. There's nothing more you could have done.
It's just simple math. It speaks to what Senator Menendez was mentioning in that Senate Finance Committee hearing. The jobs did not exist during '08 and '09. The graph tells us that. Common sense tells us that.
